The Unreal Reality
by The CheezHead
Summary: Later that night when Artemis was alone in his room attempting to read, the girl’s words came back to haunt him. 'You’re not real.'


A/N- I honestly have no idea where the inspiration for this came from. It just appeared, demanding to be written. One-shot. Artemis-centric.

Disclaimer- I own only what is mine.

**AN UNREAL REALITY**

"You're not real, you know." A girl's voice broke through Artemis's normally silent and solitary lunch at Saint Margaret's Boarding School. His third school in the past three years, and very likely the one he would be staying at.

"I beg your pardon?" Artemis asked, looking up at the rude speaker. He vaguely recognized her from one of his classes, possibly Math or Science.

"I said you're not real."

For the first time in his life Artemis was confused. Standing in front of him was a girl telling him that he wasn't real. Against his better judgment he was intrigued. "Elaborate."

"Well it's like in our science class. You form a hypothesis, conduct experiments, record your observations, and form a conclusion."

"And this proves I'm not real, how?"

"I've been observing you," she said nonchalantly. "You don't have to work for your knowledge like the rest of us. Your knowledge you already have. And you have no friends. Real people can't survive alone in this world. But most of all you never show emotion. When you're sad you don't cry. When you're happy you don't smile. You never look mad, or confused, or grumpy. Everyone thinks you feel nothing. And we've tried to get you to show emotion. Remember when you first came? All the girls trying to get you to like them? All the guys trying to get you in their posse? All the bullies picking on you? All the teachers calling on you? All the class clowns telling you their jokes? Did you ever wonder why? It's because you fascinated us. We wanted to see you get a question wrong in class. We wanted to see you smile or frown or laugh or cry. We wanted you to prove to us that you were real. But you never laugh. You never cry. You never feel compassion. You're never tired or grumpy. Hell, I don't even think you can bleed. And _that's_ why you're not real." With that she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving behind a very troubled Artemis, although he did not show it.

Later that night when Artemis was alone in his room attempting to read, the girl's words came back to haunt him.

_You're not real._

Slowly he put his book down. Why was this girl's foolish statement bothering him so much? How could he not be real? He had to be real.

If he wasn't real than what did his existence signify? That people can survive without being real? That one could be far from reality and still survive in this world?

He had to be real. Artemis felt an immense desire to prove this girl wrong. To prove he was real. Because if he wasn't real, than what was the point of being a child prodigy? If he wasn't real what was the point of having unlimited wealth? If he wasn't real what was the point of living?

Everything real has a meaning, a purpose, but if he wasn't real than he didn't have a purpose. What would he do with his life if he didn't have a purpose? Would he strive to find some meaning in his life and never find it? Would he wander the Earth till the end of his days without knowing why? What was the point of being a genius, when he didn't have any intentions to go along with it?

But then again, could he create a purpose? Could he take one idea and sculpt his entire life around it? But if he wasn't real, than wouldn't having a fake purpose be worse than having no purpose at all? And how would he know if he chose the right path? How would he know if he was doing what he should?

Artemis shook his head. That girl's accusation shouldn't bother him so much, especially one so nonsensical. Who ever heard of someone not being real?

But still his mind would not rest. And as he picked up his book to continue reading, the words seemed to swim on the page, creating new words, and when he read it he dropped the book in surprise.

_You're not real._

A/N- I still don't know where that came from. Please review and tell me what you thought of it.


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